In cable signal transmission networks, such as standard cable television (TV) systems, closed-circuit TV or video monitoring systems, as well as in satellite TV systems, a coaxial cable generally is required to transmit signals from a receiver or dish/antenna to a monitor such as a television or video monitor. As such TV systems have developed, consumers desire and are demanding increasingly higher quality TV reception, especially with newer high definition programming, and the quality of the coaxial cable connector between the input co-axial cable and the receiver and/or TV directly affects the quality of TV reception. In addition, bundling or combining of both cable TV and telephone is becoming increasingly more common, and thus, the central signal transmission wires of the cable now often needs to bear a larger current because the cable needs to receive input signals for TV (such as TV program selection and TV shopping item selection) as well as potentially provide the current for the phone. Also, due to fast growing demand of network bandwidths, frequencies of television signals transmitted by coaxial cables also are approaching higher frequencies as technology necessarily advances. However, as frequencies of signals transmitted get higher, quality of connectors for accessing coaxial cables in transmission paths needs to be increased as well. If slight or poor connectivity exists between the contact points of the connectors and the cable wire, signals being transmitted can be lost somewhere along the path, potentially resulting in loss of important data and poor picture quality.
Typically, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the inner structure of a conventional type coaxial cable connector “A” typically will have pairs of flat contact springs “B” within an insulating sleeve “C”, and when the generally cylindrical central wire of the cable is inserted into the connector, the connector structure typically only has two points (i.e., top and bottom) of contact often leading to inefficient transmission/electrical contact and signal or power loss. Additionally, other types of connectors have been developed with an inner structure wherein additional supports, such as plastic fingers or other, similar biasing members are provided for supporting and assisting in biasing the contacts of the connector against the contact wire or center conductor of the co-axial cable to help maintain contact therebetween. However, over time, as such co-axial connectors are subjected to repeated uses, i.e., where they are disconnected and re-connected multiple times to connect a co-axial cable to different receivers or components, and/or over time and exposure to fluctuations in temperature and/or humidity, the biasing contact provided by the spring contacts and the resilient plastic fingers can weaken. As the resiliency of the contacts is weakened, the retention force provided thereby is weakened, which can lead to a corresponding increased loss in signal strength. To counter the loss of resilience, some connectors have used thicker or stronger materials for the contacts, which correspondingly has increased costs of such connectors, and degrades in return loss as the contacts or pins of the connectors have been increased in size.
Accordingly, it can be seen that a need exists for a connector for use in connecting coaxial cables, wires or other electrical or data transmission lines that addresses the foregoing and other related and unrelated problems in the art.